


15. "I don't know how to get us out of this"

by T_Hurricane



Series: Voltron: Stories of Klance (Fan Fiction Library: Challenge #1) [15]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Boys In Love, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Cold, Cold Weather, Comfort, Cute, Cute Ending, Dorks in Love, Eventual Keith/Lance (Voltron), Fan Fiction Library - Challenge, Fear, Fear of Death, Fluff, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gen, Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, Hero Lance (Voltron), Hurt, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, Ice, Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Major Character Undeath, Missions Gone Wrong, Near Death, Near Death Experiences, Rescue, Rescue Missions, Snow, Snow and Ice, Storms, Survival, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 02:19:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30065154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/T_Hurricane/pseuds/T_Hurricane
Summary: Keith and Lance were on a mission on a planet that is torn between sudden ice storms or heat waves.While they try to find a solution, they get trapped in one of the ice storms and find themselves fighting for literal survival not long after.
Relationships: Keith & Lance (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Voltron: Stories of Klance (Fan Fiction Library: Challenge #1) [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175054
Comments: 8
Kudos: 42
Collections: Fan Fiction Library (Discord) Challenge #1: 20 Prompts





	15. "I don't know how to get us out of this"

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! 
> 
> For the 15th prompt of the writing challenge hosted on my Discord server, the [Fan Fiction Library](https://discord.gg/RuSjgxC68t): 
> 
> "I don't know how to get us out of this"
> 
> I'm sorry it took longer for me this time, but it somehow turned out longer than I had planned xD  
> Since University started again I sadly don't know if I will be able to post every 1-2 days, so please be patient with me! I do absolutely plan to write for all of the 20 prompts, so there will be updates ;)

„Is there really no other way?“ Lance shouted against the wind and into his comms. 

„Okay, why is your visor still open? And second - there is no other way, sorry“ 

„Ha ha, very funny Pidge! You know damn right that we didn’t bring our helmets with us to look less threatening!“ Lance screamed into his comms. 

„Oh. Right. Forgot about that one, sorry“ Pidge replied. 

„What’s your ETA?“ Keith now asked. 

„We can’t get to you I’m afraid. There is a forest two klicks to your right, it would be best for you to reach it and hold out there. Your suits will provide enough warmth for a few hours, we will get to you before they cool down too much. The eye of the storm is moving vertical to your heading, which means that we should be clear to try and enter the atmosphere in about two hours. There is no reason for panic“ Allura now said. 

„Copy“ Keith grumbled and motioned for Lance to follow him in the direction the forest was in. 

They had tried to reach out to their Lions already, but the severe cold would had even left the Blue Lion out of function. They were both in the Castle with the others, and since they had been dropped off at the surface, they were dependent on the other to get them. 

„I can’t wait to get into a hot bath as soon as we get back. And never am I ever going to leave my helmet in my Lion again“ Lance grumbled after he muted his comms, now only able to hear what the others said but granting him the privacy to lament freely without their comments on it. 

They had both been summoned by a rather traditional tribe that valued a simple life filled with believe and myth. They had heard the tales of the Voltron Lions, but they only knew them as the two Lions of Ice and Fire, and they had an accent story passed down since generations that spoke of the two tamers of these Lions. 

Whenever they were in great need of help, which they were since a shift in the planet’s core - of course caused by some experiment or new weapon of Haggar and her druids, who left as soon as the damage was done - the atmosphere had gone crazy. 

One icy hurricane here, one heatwave there, and the people had finally scratched together what was left of their energy beacons that had evoked Keith and Lance to be here, now. 

They had been scanning the atmosphere from different sites all around the village, and since it was only manageable on foot, this was already their second day of this work. 

And since the people were overly cautious, they had only allowed Keith and Lance, who to them were the Lion Tamers in flesh and blood to help. 

„Agreed“ Keith just huffed with a small chuckle and continued to fight his way through the thick and dense walls of white all around them. 

The scans had been going smooth, but an ics storm had trapped them after it appeared too fast for any of them to notice. 

The wind blowing snow and ice in Keith’s face wasn’t of much help, and it got harder and harder to even see the ground they walked on because of the snow reaching up to their knees. 

„Not much further. I guess it’s about half a klick until we reach that forest. If we didn’t get lost and went the wrong way“ Keith panted after around an hour. 

„Okay. Let’s hurry up for the last part“ Lance replied with clattering teeth. 

„Gladly“ Keith just replied and turned away from Lance again, guiding the way.

They had switched after every ~100 meters, and at the moment, it was Keith’s turn to fight the way through the snow while Lance had it a bit easier with a little path plowed through the snow. 

„Tell me if you wanna switch again, okay?“ Lance said after a while when Keith didn’t call for a pause. 

„I’m good for now. Let’s just keep going. Watch that part, it’s kinda slippery here“ he said to Lance and continued further. 

„We’ve just lost your heat signature, you doing alright?“ Shiro’s voice suddenly chimed through their comms. 

Lance almost shrieked in surprise, which led to a small grin from Keith before the later answered. 

„Yeah, we’re fine. We’re almost at the forest“ he said, and with talking longer sentences, his panting breath became more present. 

„Your heading was right so far, just keep going“ Hunk now said. 

„Hey Hunk! You back from your mission with Coran?“ Lance asked upon hearing his friend. 

He and Coran had been busy stocking up the food and water resources of the Castle when it became clear that Keith and Lance would need some longer time for this mission. 

„Yup, all supplies loaded and stored away. I have also already begun making a nice soup, it should help warm you two up as soon as that storm clears enough to let us land“ he said. 

„That sounds awesome!“ Lance exclaimed happily and made a small jump to the air. 

„Looking forward to it, Hunk. We’re gonna check in when we reach the forest“ Keith then said and continued to plow through the storm when he suddenly stumbled. 

„Keith!“ Lance immediately cried out, but Keith had already picked himself up. 

„Uhm.. there is no more snow in front of us. Just.. ice“ he said and pointed to the ground. 

„Must be some kind of lake or pond then. Maybe that lake we saw earlier before the storm set in? Pidge, is is safe to walk over?“ Lance stated and then asked, unmuting his comms before he spoke. 

„Yeah, it’s cold enough that the ice should hold. Be careful though, okay?“ she said, and there was something nervous in her voice. 

„We will be“ Lance just brushed her concerns away and looked at Keith. 

„What would I give for skates right now“ he grinned and tentatively made a step onto the ice. 

He made a careful jump, lifting his feet only millimeters from the surface. 

„Looks thick enough“ he said and gently set one foot after the other. 

„And I think the storm is getting weaker here, too. Let’s just get to that forest, I feel like my ears have frostbite“ Keith said and carefully followed Lance, making sure to stay a few meters away from him to better distribute their weight on the ice. 

„I can see the forest!“ Lance suddenly exclaimed, and when Keith looked up, he could see something that vaguely looked like trees - if theres were flat, had pink trunks that were as wide as a house and gigantic pastel blue leaves that were shaped like hearts.

Keith just inhaled to comment on Lance‘s cheer when suddenly, there was a loud crack. 

Lance immediately froze up, and Keith tensed. 

Both didn’t dare move a muscle. 

„What… was that?“ Keith said and looked towards Lance. 

„I think the ice. We are probably on the middle of the lake now“ Lance just answered and started to turn around to Keith, doing so as slow and carefully as he could. 

„Are you two okay?“ Pidge’s voice crackled through the comms. 

„Pidge, do you have a reading on us?“ Keith only asked her. 

„Yeah, you’re almost there. The storm shifted the atmosphere a bit before and we lost our connection briefly. Just head to the other side - you said that you can see the forest?“ she said with a questioning tone in her voice. 

„Yeah, we can see it. Can you tell us where on the ice we are right now?“ Lance now asked. 

„Uhm… You are almost in the middle. Why?“ she asked, her tone growing a bit annoying. 

„The ice is cracking“ Lance only said this time, and as if on cue, there was another, this time an almost deafening crack. 

With horror, Keith and Lance saw how a giant crack raced through the ice below them, starting from somewhere they had been coming from and disappearing in the direction of the forest. 

„Fuck“ Pidge now said, her tone switched to absolutely serious instantly. 

„Okay, head to the right and try to go over the lake in a circle. Stay close to the shore, and get the hell out from where you are standing now“ she rambled. 

„Okay, we are gonna try to move there then. We’ll update soon“ Keith confirmed and then looked at Lance. 

„You go first. Just a few steps to the right, let’s hope that the ice will hold“ he said, and Lance nodded. 

Then, watched how Lance laid down on his stomach and started crawling to the right. 

„That’s a great idea“ Keith only said, instantly getting that Lance was doing it to spread his weight onto more surface in order not to put so much strain on the ice. 

„Not my first time on a frozen lake“ Lance only huffed as he moved forward. 

Keith mimicked Lance’s posture and laid down on his belly, too. 

„Okay, I should be good. Your turn“ Lance now said. 

„Okay, I’m coming“ Keith said, eying the crack beneath him with concern one more time before he started moving as well.

The ice groaned a bit, but no new cracks appeared. 

„Okay, I think we are both safe to move“ he said after a while and carefully got to all fours. 

The ice held, and they were able to move away from the crack more quickly. 

„I think we are out of the danger zone. Continuing our way to the forest“ Lance spoke into his comms to update the others. 

„When can you pick us up?“ Keith added. 

„-uys? G- … -ys? T - … -orm!“ Hunk’s voice sounded from the comms. 

„Can you repeat that? We didn’t hear it!“ Keith requested. 

„St... - Storm! Get out of there now, the storm shifted and will hit you with twice the force in only a few minutes!“ Hunks voice spoke again, and this time, they clearly understood it. 

Lance tentatively looked behind them, and Keith saw how his face paled. 

He turned around himself and now understood Lance’s shocked expression and Hunk’s urgency and panicked voice. 

The giant white wall that had to be the eye of the storm was suddenly rising and getting taller by the second. 

Keith knew from living in a desert what that meant. 

When a tornado looked like it was growing in height, it meant that it was coming towards you. 

„We have to hurry!“ Keith shouted to Lance and scrambled to his feet. 

„Right behind you!“ Lance shouted and started to run as well. 

The ice groaned under their hurried and heavy steps, but they couldn’t afford to be slow now. 

They would surely be killed if they were hit by the eye of what was now a snowstorm-like hurricane if they had no cover. 

„We’re almost there!“ Lance called out when they were almost at the shore. 

He was running a few meters in front on Keith again, and he was just looking back to Keith to look at him and the storm that was slowly, but steadily coming towards them. 

They could already feel the pull of the wind and it was difficult not to slip on the smooth as glass surface. 

„Almost! We’re alm-“ Lance started to yell at Keith when it happened. 

A harsh gust of wind threw him off balance with the next step and he slipped. 

Lance shrieked in surprise when he hit the surface of the ice shortly after what felt like he was free-falling. 

His shoulder and back collided with the ice, immediately followed by his head and then by the rest of his body. 

„Lance!“ Keith cried out when Lance cried out in pain. 

Then, the sound of the ice swallowed the rest of their shouts when it cracked like a spiderweb beneath Lance. 

„Oh no“ Lance only whispered as soon as the cracks dulled into dangerous groans. 

The ice was still holding, but it was more fragile than ever. 

„Shit, Lance! Don’t move for now, you hear me!“ Keith shouted and stopped a few meters before he would reach his teammate. 

Lance slowly looked up to him and Keith felt a pang of pain in his chest at the horrified and utterly fearful expression of the boy in front of him. 

„Fuck“ Lance now cursed and gently shifted, but he immediately froze when the ice beneath him cracked a bit further. 

„I said don’t move!“ Keith shrieked in panic. 

Their comms were buzzing with sorrowful voices and demands of a status report, but he had to ignore them for now. 

He had to get off of that damn lake, and the delicate state of the ice combined with the time pressure of an ice storm headed their way was doing nothing to help. 

„Okay, can you move your arm?“ he started, and then observed how Lance was carefully trying to roll his shoulder. 

„Hurts, but it will be fine. Probably just badly bruised“ Lance said honestly. 

„Arm is okay“ he said after flexing his fingers and elbow. 

„Okay, can you turn around to lay on your stomach?“ Keith now said, surpressing the need to rush to Lance and help him up. 

„I’ll try“ Lance said and got to work. 

A few cracks and groans later, Lance was laying on his stomach and facing Keith. 

„Okay, I can start to try and crawl to you“ Lance said and Keith nodded. 

Lance then began to reach out and prop himself up on his elbows while he shoved himself forward with tiny motions of his feet. 

With that, he managed to slowly crawl up to Keith. The Ice stopped cracking after he was completely off the cracks that looked like a spiderweb, and Keith crouched down to reach his arm and grab Lance as soon as he could reach him. 

The wind was still growing stronger, a painful reminder that they were running out of time. 

„Almost“ Keith said through gritted teeth when his fingers were only centimeters away from Lance’s outstretched hand. 

„Almost“ he said again when after another push, Lance was able to brush his fingertips over his. 

„Come on!“ Lance groaned and pushed himself forward again. 

Finally, he was able to grab Keiths hand, and he felt relief wash over him when Keith pulled. 

The relief was short lived when the more firm motion caused the ice to crack again, and the spider web was furiously reaching out to where Lance and Keith now both were. 

Lance was just about to yell out a warning when he felt how he was suddenly yanked away from the danger zone with harsh force, almost enough to dislocate his shoulder. 

He slid away from the cracks until he came to a stop a few meters to the right. 

„What the- Keith!“ He cried out in surprise, because there was no other explanation for the sudden movement other than that Keith must have yanked him away. 

„Here“ he saw Keith say with a sad voice. 

Lance had just enough time to see Keith stumble. 

He had used his own body as weight to create the momentum necessary to get Lance away - resulting in him moving towards the unstable ice. 

Keith managed to grin when he saw Lance safe, although the panic in his eyes almost hurt to see. 

„Get away from the storm and into the forest“ he said to Lance. 

Then, he fas falling, accompanied by the loudest crack so far, and all energy was knocked out of him when cold water pulled him under. 

„Keith!!“ Lance cried out in horror when he saw his teammate disappear under the ice. 

„No, NO!“ KEITH!“ he cried out in desperation. 

He nearly sobbed in relief when Keith somehow resurfaced, gasping for air. 

He tried to yell something, but it only came out as short gasp before he dove under again, not able to move because of the sudden cold grabbing each on his limb with claws and what felt like thousands of needles being forced into his skin all at once. 

Lance, being only meters away from the shore due to where Keith had shoved him to now stood up on shaky legs and frantically looked around for anything that could help. 

He couldn’t crawl back on the ice or it it would only make things worse by him breaking into it as well. 

„Hang on!“ he yelled as Keith resurfaced once again, this time able to put an arm on the ice and hold himself up just enough so that he could breathe. 

Lance only needed half a minute, but it felt like years to them both. 

Keith was barely able to keep his eyes open, his arm almost to weak to hold himself up already, when something light blue gained his attention. 

It first looked like one of the trees had bent down to grab him out of the lake, but after a few seconds he was able to regain his focus and realized that it was Lance. 

The Blue Paladin had managed to rip off one of the giant leaves and was now holding it at one end. 

The other end was exactly where Keith’s hand was on the ice. 

„Keith, please. You have to try and grab it“ Lance sobbed. 

Keith knew that he had to if he wanted to live. But he wanted Lance to get to safety in the forest. 

Also - his body just didn’t react like he wanted it to anymore. 

„Ca-Can-nt“ he stuttered with clattering teeth. 

„Please, Keith. Please. I can’t get you out another way. And the storm.. Just try it. Please“ Lance begged. 

With the smallest sob of relief Lance saw how Keith slowly moved his arm to grab the stem of the leaf.

„Okay, I’ll try to pull now. Don’t let to, okay? Don’t let go. And try to swim up with all the power you have“ Lance sobbed and again, he felt a bit better when Keith nodded. 

Then, he slowly pulled, and Keith actually managed to hold on. 

There was an ice plate that served as ramp and slowly, Keith was being pulled out of the water. 

He groaned in exhaustion and he sobbed in pain as the cool air his his wet skin and when he felt how his grip was getting weaker and weaker. 

„I.. Lance.. can’t hold it .. longer“ Keith said shakily, almost not loud enough for the other boy to hear. 

„Just a little bit longer. Just a little“ Lance said while he pulled with all his might, trying to get Keith out of the water while he still held on. 

„Lance…“ Keith whispered. 

Then, his hand went limp, just like the rest of his body, and he threatened to slide back into the water. 

Lance practically jumped forward and grabbed Keith’s hand with his own. He nearly yelped at feeling how cold it was, but he pulled with all he had left in him and managed to get Keith’s hips out of the water. 

Finally, after getting the rest of him out of the ice cols water, Keith was free and being dragged to the shore by Lance. 

„Lance, come in! What the hell is happening!!“ Shiro now yelled into the comms, but Lance couldn’t pay any mind to it. 

„Keith!“ he just yelled and turned around to check on him as soon as he collapsed on the shore. The snow was not as high on this side of the lake, but still enough that he sank into it. 

„Come on, open your eyes, please!“ he sobbed and shook Keith by his shoulders.  
No response came. 

„Lance, what happened!“ Hunk now yelled, and Lance finally reacted. 

„K-Keith, he - he broke through the ice, and I g-got him out but he’s not waking up, and **I don’t know how to get us out of this**!“ Lance stuttered, and sharp inhales and exclamations of worry followed. 

„Check for a pulse, Lance“ Coran’s calm voice broke through to him, silencing the others. 

Lance removed Keith’s chest plate and laid two fingers against his neck while he pressed his ear against the soaking wet fabric over his chest. 

„It’s slow and weak. And his breath’s are shallow“ Lance said after a moment. 

The others let out tiny exhales of relief at hearing that. 

„What do I do? The storm is coming, and Keith needs to get some place warm asap!“ Lance sobbed. 

„You need to get into the forest and get to cover. We can’t come to you right now, I’m so sorry“ Coran said with a strained voice. 

„Lance, listen. You have to try to get to the forest. The sto- … warm. Get to co- .. -diatley and stay - … -nection worse - … -ear us?“ Shiro’s voice could be heard, but with the storm getting closer and closer, the connection only grew weaker until all that Lance could hear was static and white noise. 

„Shiro? Hunk? Coran? Guys, please, I can’t do this alone!“ Lance sobbed again. 

Never before had he felt so helpless. 

The storm was still coming, the connection to the others was lost, Keith was hypothermic and if he didn’t get him warmed up soon - 

No. 

He couldn’t give up. 

„Hang on Keith. We’ll get out of this, because if you die on me here I’ll kill you, you hear me!“ Lance shouted out in frustration and looked around again 

The wind had not yet claimed the leaf he had used to pull Keith out with only moments earlier, so he got up, retrieved it and laid it down near Keith. 

It was a bit longer than two meters and the stem was as thick as the handle of a hammer. 

„Hang on. Please Keith. Just don’t die“ Lance whispered, trying to calm himself down by talking and hearing something other than the howling storm that was ready to swallow him and his teammate if he didn’t move now. 

He hauled Keith onto the leave and began to use the leaf as a sled. 

Then, he tried to get as deep into the forest as he could. 

After walking and dragging Keith for what felt like hours but could only have been around 20 minutes Lance barely had any strength left. 

Keith was heavy, and the ground conditions made it hard to drag him along, but Lance would never leave him behind. 

He was way too important for him. 

With a grunt, Lance came to a stop and looked around. 

He was surrounded by the pink and gigantic trees with the blue leaves and could neither see the sky or something other than trees in any direction. 

One of the trees a few meters away had its roots standing out of the ground a bit higher, and Lance deemed it the most optional place for cover in this environment. 

„Hold on Keith. We’re safe from the storm for now. I hope“ he said while he dragged Keith between the roots. 

He was glad that there was almost no wind in this part of the forest, and after laying Keith down and checking on him - hesitantly and fearful at first, but utterly relieved when he found that Keith was still breathing - Lance gathered some more leaves that were laying around and piled them over each other to build a makeshift mattress for him and his teammate. 

They couldn’t afford loosing heat to the ground. 

Then, he took one of the bigger and sturdier leaves and rammed their stems into the snow and ground as best as he could, bent the leaves over the ones at the ground and tucked their pointy ends away behind the root. 

After building a cocoon of leaved to keep them protected Lance practically collapsed near Keith. 

He was exhausted beyond comparison, but he knew that the most important part had yet to follow. 

He turned around to Keith to strip him out of his wet clothes when he noticed it. 

„Keith?“ he said hesitantly and with the smallest voice he ever heard himself speak with. 

Keith was still completely limp, his face slack and his limbs and lips tinged in blue. 

And his chest wasn’t rising anymore. 

„No, please no“ Lance sobbed and immediately got to his knees. 

He checked for a pulse again like he had done earlier, but his fear only multiplied when this time, there was no pulse and no breath. 

„No“ Lance cried out in panic and got into position to perform CPR.

„Don’t you dare die now“ Lance sobbed and pressed down on Keith’s chest. 

He had trouble finding into a steady rhythm - the song „Stayin’ Alive“ he still remembered vividly from Earth felt completely out of place in this situation - but after the first few compressions, the song actually helped him maintain a steady beat.

He counted to 30. After that, he pinched Keith’s nose shut, tilted his head backwards and gave him two careful rescue breaths. 

Nothing happened. 

„Come on!“ Lance shouted in fear and frustration and scooted back near his chest to give another 30 chest compressions. 

Lance cursed and shouted and begged Keith to breathe, to open his eyes, but nothing happened. 

Lance grew more desperate by every round of rescue breaths and chest compressions. 

He was drained and exhausted, but he pushed himself nevertheless, until finally - finally - Keith weakly inhaled. 

„Keith?!“ Lance cried out in relief, and Keith’s eyes fluttered open for a second, clouded over with confusion and hurt and pain, but they were open, and his breaths grew stronger. 

„Oh god, Keith, you - you scared me to death“ Lance said with a watery chuckle while Keith greedily continued to breathe. 

„S..S’rry“ he managed to say right before his head lolled to the side and his expression got slack again. 

Even though a new wave of panic dared to wash over Lance, he was still relieved to see the steady breaths Keith made, so he allowed himself a small moment to catch his own breath. 

Then, Lance carefully stripped Keith first from his armor plates, then himself from his own. 

He instantly shivered, but he knew that he had to to anything he could to get Keith warmed up again. 

He then got Keith out of his wet undersuit and out of every piece of clothing beneath that. 

It was risky, but it was risker to leave the still soaking wet pieces of fabric on him. 

Then, he got out of his own undersuit, and dressed Keith in it. 

He still had a thin layer of clothing on, so he would manage. 

He retrieved Keith’s chest plate, only to see that it’s heating features had simply been destroyed due to the water and the cold air after. 

„Shit“ Lance cursed, but then he had an idea. 

He put the chest plate of his own armor against the tree root and moved to put Keith against it with his chest. 

Then, he put the back plate of his armor on himself and laid down behind his teammate, pressing his chest against his back to provide as much body heat as he could. 

Keith’s breath was still steady and the shaking got more intense after a while, which had Lance sigh in relief. 

Shaking meant that his muscles were working to create warmth, and if it got stronger, that meant that Keith would be able to warm up and not further cool out. 

„We just have to hold on until the others get to us. And pray that the storm doesn’t get to us“ Lance said, shivering a bit himself but he ignored it. 

He had no other options to keep them warm - there was really nothing else than hope and holding on until the others got to them. 

Lance really hoped that they would get there soon. 

„You’re an idiot, you know“ Lance said after a while when he felt the exhaustion trying to lull him to sleep. 

„Why the hell did you save me on the lake? Why did you sacrifice yourself for me, Keith?“ he whispered, fighting against closing his eyes and falling asleep. 

It was already bad enough that Keith wasn’t conscious, but his shivers soothed Lance enough for the moment to know that they still had a chance. 

„I can’t stand it when you do that. And you actually died this time“ he said, and a sob escaped him. 

„I can’t be with-without you, Keith“ he sobbed again, and he let his tears stream freely now. 

„I can’t fucking loose you, you hear me? I can’t“ he continued, rambling at this point. 

„I can’t“ he said, getting more silent. 

His vision was slowly getting blurry and darker, and he didn’t have the energy to hold his head up anymore, so he let it fall to the leaf, pressing his forehead into Keith’s damp hair.

„I can’t loose you because then I’d have nothing to live for anymore. I love you Keith, you are my world - even if I’ve never told you before. Please hold on“ he whispered, and finally lost the fight with his eyelids which just refused to stay open any longer. 

„I love you. And the others will find us. And then we’ll be save… You’ll be save. Just… hold on…“ he whispered until his voice gave out. 

Then, Lance submitted to the darkness that had been trying to draw him in for a while now. 

His last thought was a prayer to whatever being that might be out there to let Keith be okay.

###### 

He didn’t know how much time had passed. 

And to be completely honest - he didn’t expect to wake up surrounded by a comfortable warmth and with soft and warm fabric all around him. 

He groaned softly, and immediately, there was a hand on his shoulder and gently rubbing it. 

„Keith?“ someone asked, but he was still a bit too out of all to answer. 

He was warm, and felt save, and he just couldn’t muster up any energy. 

"Rest, you and Lance are save, we got you" the voice said. 

Lance was safe then. 

Before Keith knew it, he fell asleep again.

###### 

„Thanks, Hunk“ Lance said while he accepted a mug with steaming hot soup in it.

He curled his still stiff fingers around it and enjoyed the warmth they brought. 

„You’re very welcome“ Hunk said and relaxed when Lance took a careful sip. 

Warmth was spreading from his inside while he slowly drank. 

„You feeling better?“ Shiro now asked and sat down on a chair near his bed. 

It stood near the cot Keith and Lance were on, Lance now sitting while Keith was still sleeping under thick blankets. 

„Yeah. Still tired though“ Lance said and managed a smile. 

„Even though you slept for a whole day?“ Pidge teased, but there was no bite to her words. 

„Apparently“ Lance said, a genuine grin decorating his face this time. 

„Just never scare the hell out of us like that again. Like - ever“ Hunk said, remembering the state they had found the two in. 

They had no idea how, but when the team finally could get down on the planet, racing through the forest int their speeders that usually only drove them to their Lions, they were surprised to find them in a cocoon of leaves. 

Both of their bodies temperature were dangerously low, but they were both alive - after four hours since they had last communicated. 

Keith and Lance had been rushed to the infirmary and placed on the only cot that had been constructed with a heating function to battle hypothermia. 

The team hadn’t been able to leave them, the desperate pleas of Lance worrying over Keith still echoing through their sculls. 

„Not planning to repeat that, Hunk“ Lance just said and returned the now empty mug to his friend. 

„Get some more sleep. We’ll leave you guys alone to not bother you, but call us as soon as something is wrong, okay?“ Coran now said and nodded his head to the others, telling them that Lance needed to rest. 

„Okay. Thanks again. For saving us and getting us back“ Lance mumbled, his voice already sleepy again. 

„Anytime, Lance“ Allura now said, gently squeezed his foot through the blanket in a gentle gesture and left the infirmary with the others. 

Lance was just about to fall asleep again when he felt something move on the other side of the mattress. 

„Guys?“ he asked sleepily, but when he opened his eyes, he only saw a set of half-lidded purple eyes stare back at him. 

„…Keith? Keith!“ Lance said with first confusion, then joy in his voice. 

Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around Keith and trapped him in a desperate hug. 

He was mindful of the broken ribs Keith still had to go into a pod for later, but he couldn’t stop himself when his friend - when the love of his life - was finally awake. 

„Lance?“ Keith asked weakly, and after a hum of confirm from Lance, Keith draped his arms around the taller boy, hugging him in return.

„Oh god, you’re awake. I mean I knew you’d wake up, but it’s still so much better when you’re awake and not cold and-“ Lance sobbed, not even able to form sentences that made sense. 

„What happened?“ Keith asked with a hoarse voice while scooting closer with a pained whine to cuddle up to Lance. 

Lance tensed at first, but then relaxed again when he saw how Keith cuddled up to him to soak in his warmth.

He was still surprised to see Keith do so. 

„You saved my sorry ass and risked yours, that happened. Why did you risk yourself like that? You… Your heart stopped, Keith. You d-died and I was all al-alone a-and…“Lance said, but he stopped after his body was shaken by sobs at remembering the whole incident. 

„I’m sorry if I scared you. …Hey Lance? I need you to promise me something“ Keith said out of nowhere. 

„Uhm… what?“ Lance asked, surprised by the random request. 

„Promise me to let me finish talking without interrupting me. It’s important“ Keith said with a bit of a tired voice. 

„Uhm.. okay? I promise“ Lance said, curious but still taken aback a bit at hearing how Keith said it with a kind of … urgency. 

„I am really sorry that you had to go through all that. And Lance - I am so thankful that you saved me. But I’d do it again. I’d do it again because what you said to me, when you did everything to save me, also applies to you“ Keith said. 

Lance didn’t know what to do, so he just forced his mouth shut and listened. 

„I saved you because I can’t be without you. I can’t imagine going on if I were to loose you. I saved you because I knew that you were worth it, because you are my world, too. I love you Lance. I really do“ Keith said, his voice fading to a whisper at the end. 

He then hesitantly looked up to look into Lance’s eyes. 

„You heard that?“ Lance only managed to say around the lump in his throat and with the swarm of butterflies in his chest. 

„It.. was like an anchor. You saying all that pulled me back“ Keith only whispered, and a single tear ran over his cheek. 

„I.. I don’t know what to say“ Lance said after a moment. 

He suddenly became aware of how close Keith was , and how Keith’s gaze wandered over his face. 

Over his lips. 

„You don’t have to say anything“ Keith whispered. 

Lance closed his eyes and carefully moved forward until he felt Keith’s breath on his lips. He shuddered at the feeling, but suddenly, Keith closed the small distance between them until his lips were actually touching Lance’s. 

Lance melted into the kiss, and it felt like a knot in his chest he didn’t knew he had suddenly vanished. The only feelings left were ones of security, comfort and a longing for the boy he was in love with - the boy who loved him back in the same way. 

They gently broke apart and when Lance opened his eyes to look into Keith’s, he found only love and adoration looking back at him. 

„God I love you“ Keith said and cuddled up into Lance’s chest even more. 

„I love you too“ Lance sighed contently and held Keith firmly in his arms. 

It wasn’t long before the two drifted back to sleep, the feeling of each other still lingering and leaving them with a sense of comfort and security they never though that they would find.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading - I hope you liked it :D
> 
> As always, I would be **really grateful for any comment** \- they are the only real measurement an author can get about how you really find their work!
> 
> Stay tuned for the next prompt!


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